Dravid welcomes Gambhir to the 'most exciting job in world'

Pallekele (Sri Lanka), July 27: Prior to the first T20I between hosts Sri Lanka and visiting Indian team, here on Saturday, former Team India Head Coach Rahul Dravid shared an emotional message with his  successor Gautam Gambhir saying, "Hello Gautam, welcome to the most exciting job in the world."

Known for his cool composure, calm personality, level headed approach, team spirit and one of the most respected cricket icons of the world, Rahul Dravid is known for his grace and professional approach. His hearty wishes reportedly turned his former teammate Gambhir bit emotional.

India will play three T20Is in Sri Lanka, which would be followed by three ODIs. The reigning T20I world champions India, would be without some of their key players during the tour, which includes pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah and fast bowling all-rounder Hardik Pandya. 

Besides, their World Cup 2024 winning captain Rohit Sharma, batting mainstay Virat Kohli and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja have taken retirement from the T20I format, after lifting the World Cup on June 29, 2024. So the trio will be missed as well.

India would be led by their new T20I skipper Suryakumar Yadav. The first T20I in Pallekele would be Gautam Gambhir's first assignment as Team India Head Coach.

In the message, which was shared by BCCI, Dravid highlighted Gambhir's passion, dedication, and resilience, traits he observed during their time as teammates and Gambhir's tenure as a mentor in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

The former Team India Head Coach also acknowledged the high expectations and intense scrutiny that come with the job, emphasizing the importance of support from players, staff, and fans. Dravid urged Gambhir to maintain a positive attitude, even in challenging times, and to remember the passion and dedication that drive Indian cricket.

As coaches however, Dravid and Gambhir are known to be bit different. Dravid has always been extremely patient, very calm and composed even in challenging times. But Gambhir loves to be bit proactive and at times may be expressive as well.

However, like in IPL, Gambhir is expected to be successful as the Head Coach of Team India and guide the national men's team to scale new heights.